Automobile ventilator



May 5, 1931. J, B, McDEVlTT 1,804,264

AUTOMOBILE VENT ILATOR Filed June 25, 1929 172097226? Ja/7/e5 2iMQe0v77 J digs 41% body, partly bro en away,

- Patented May 5, 1931 STATES QTAMES B MCDEVITT, 0F OHIGAGO, ILLINOIS AUTOMOBILE 'V'ENIILATOB Application filed June 25, 1929. Serial No. 873,604.

My invention relates to ventilators associated with the to s of enclosed automobiles for the purpose 0? creating a circulation or change of the atmosphere therein, and my rs main object is to providea ventilator which utilizes the side and overhead currents of the external atmosphere when the vehicle is in motion to produce the circulation or change mentioned. I

A further object of the invention is to so apply the novel ventilator to the automobile bo y that the mechanical features thereof are entirel concealed.

A still rtherobject of the invention is 3.3 to dispense with an openin on top of the automobile for the ingress 0 air, and so reclude the entry of rain and dust or the c ogging of the openin by snow.

Another object o the invention is to build l 20 the novel ventilator in the nature of a compact and self-contained unit which is readily a plicable to the tops of enclosed automobile bodies without requiring any materi 'chan e in the latter. i as A inal but nevertheless important object of the invention is to design the novel ventilator with utmost simplicity, whereby it may be an article suitable for both expensive and inexpensive cars.

With the above ob ects in view and any others that may su gest themselves from the specification and c aims to follow, a better understanding of the invention ma be had by reference to the accompanying rawings, in which---.

v Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical enclosed automobile, showing the manner in which the novel ventilator is installed;

Figure 2 is a lan view of the automobile to show the novel ventilator in horizontal section; j

Fig. 3 is a section on he line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figtit , duit walls to the site 0 Ventilators as a rule have been infrequently applied to automobiles, probably because a of the com lications involved when cars of different esigns are considered. A familiar type of ventilator has been used on expensive cars, being in the nature of a small dome on to of the carand opening rearwardly. O viously, this type of ventilator did not only detract from the appearance of the car, but also permitted the ingress of dust, rain and foreign matter and proved useless when clogged with snow. I have departed from these and other deficiencies ound in ventilators of the past by roviding a structure which accomplishes t e aboveoutlined objects to their fullestextent.

In carrying out the invention I use the space between the roof and the ceiling of the automobile body to dispose the novel ventilator. The latter consists of a shallow metal. box 10 positioned approximately in the center of the car and extended rearwardly with divergent conduits 11. The box 10 is closed, except for the communication with the conduits 11 and a transverse series of floor slots 12 in front. The box is, however, divided medially by a partition 13 which extends from the meeting ploint of the inner cont e slots12. The rear portions of the conduits 11 take a downward course as indicated at 11a and terminate with openings 14 at the back of the body and im-' mediately beyond the top. These openings are preferably covered by grill-like plates 15 securedto the top as shown.

The slotted bottom 12 of the ventilator communicates throu h the ceilin of the car with the interiorof t e automobi e body as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, and I have provided a grilled shutter 16 equi ped with a handle 17 to form a register where the entrance to the ventilator'may be varie in area, a suitable supporting frame 18 serving to form a slide bearin for the shutter 16. At the rear, a grille plate 19 may be provided for each till conduit 11, such plate serving in appearance like a register.

When the automobile is in motion, the air currents passing overhead and along the bodies comprising an inclosuredisposed between the ceiling and roof of the top and providing an inlet opening communicating with the interior of the body, a pair of diver ent outlet conduits communicating with sai inclosure and with the external atmosphere, and a partition separating the inlets of said conduits, said partition extending short of the inclosure opening.

In testimony whereof IL afix my signature.

JAWS B. MCDEVITT.

checked by controlling the register 16. If

faster Ventilation is desired a window or the Windshield may be opened to a limited extent. It will be seen that the novel ventilator is especially useful for winter driving, when it is difiicult to maintain a circulation of air in the machine without sacrificing warmth or comfort. In my case, the circulation may be carefully controlled to provide fresh air and carry out the still or foul air at a rate consistent with the proper temperature in the car. Also, the movement and exitfoii moist air will prevent the deposit of frost on the windows.

structurally, it will be found that the novel ventilator can be made of light material, such as sheet metal and in one unit for handy installation. In this respect, Figure 3 shows how the metal of the body may be struck in as indicated at 20 to form a lead into the conduits 11. Thus, should rain, dust or other foreign matter blow into the register, the

' slope of the lead 20 and the vibration of the car willclear the opening so as to permit the uninterrupted action in the conduits ill. The partition 13 in extending as far as the slotted formation 12 precludes the draft from one conduit into the other should suction in one conduit exceed that in the other, as from a gust of wind. The conduits are therefore designed to draw from the inte ior of" the automobile whether the external atmospheric conditions are uniform or unbalanced.

' I claim 1. An automobile ventilator comprising a chamber with the fore part oi its floor perforated to communicate with the body interior, a partition in the chamber to the rear of its perforated portion, and conduits diverging rearwardly from the divided sections of the chamber, the outlets of the conduits being through the rear wall of the automobile body.

2. The structure of claim 1, said floor fore part having ashutter manually adjustable from within the automobile to limit the perforated are'a.

3. The structure of claim 1, said outlet being flush with the exterior of said wall, and a. grilled facing applied to the outlet.

as 4. A top carried ventilator tor automobil- 

